--- title: "Watch Buzz Aldrin punch a moon landing denier in the face" date: "2018-04-02" modified: "2020-10-21" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake.md" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/buzz-aldrin-punch/" categories: - "Air Force" - "History" --- # Watch Buzz Aldrin punch a moon landing denier in the face ![]() The idea that the American moon landings were nothing but an elaborate government hoax sits somewhere between Elvis faking his own death and FDR knowing the Japanese were about to attack Pearl Harbor. --- Only wing nuts need apply. Still die hards like Bart Sibrel think the moon landings were staged — all of them — and he's produced four feature-length films to prove his theory. But while Sibrel has no problem telling his handful of followers over the airwaves that America never took "one giant leap," he'd better think twice before telling one of the astronauts who actually did that it's a fake. ![]() *Paul Giamatti could play him in the movie.* After a talk at the Smithsonian Institute in 2002, Sibrel got in the face of retired astronaut, former Air Force command pilot and all-around American hero Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. That turned out to be a bad day for the conspiracy theorist because retired Cold Warriors don't put up with that tin foil hat warble. ![]() *Shoulda kept his guard up.* Sibrel chased down the retired astronaut to demand that Aldrin swear on a Bible that he landed on the moon. When the 72-year-old Aldrin tried gracefully to ignore the huckster, Sibrel turned up the heat and said some things he shouldn't have. That's when the eagle landed a right hook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wptn5RE2I-k So the next time you're at the Smithsonian and think you see [strings in the footage of the moon landing](), remember how much wallop a Buzz Aldrin punch packs. And by the way, Aldrin [wasn't charged]() in the assault. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() ## More - [Space Force names Buzz Aldrin Brigadier General]() - [Today in military history: First man on the moon]() - [The Apollo 11 crew had to clear customs after the moon landing]() - [This is how the Apollo 11 travel pay proves DTS always sucked]() - [5 bizarre times troops answered the call of nature on duty]() - [This original Top Gun stunt pilot became an astronaut]() - [The biggest challenge Charles Lindbergh faced in flying across the Atlantic]() - [Before 3 tours in Vietnam, this fighter pilot dropped nearly 20 miles from high above]()